Thursday, October 7, 2010

That time of year again! Part 2: The Birthday Party!!

I know I usually flake when I say that I'm going to blog something "later".... so I'm sure you all are SHOCKED that I'm actually following through this time! lol

As you know, we had an Airplane themed Birthday Party... and where better to have an airplane themed birthday party.... but at a hangar at an airfield?!? We were very lucky that the General Aviation Airfield here on post allowed us to rent their main hangar for the party, as I was scrambling for a space large enough for the party I was planning (my teeny tiny house and postage stamp back yard would NOT handle 16 kids AND their parents!)

I designed the invitations to look like Boarding passes that you would print out after purchasing plane tickets. Several people (for whom I didn't have b&m addresses) actually got them emailed to them with this email:

You Are Invited for Some High Flying Fun!

Dear LASTNAME/FIRSTNAME,

Thank you for choosing G Airlines! We are looking forward to you joining us for Cap'n James's 6th Birthday, Saturday September 18th! Check in is at 2pm at the General Avation Airfield on post. The flight, E-Ticket details, and a map for your reservation are attached and printer-ready. Please contact a ticket agent (aka: Sharon, James's Mom) to confirm or cancel your reservation.

We are looking forward to flying with you!

Sharon GHead Ticket Agent/Birthday Flight Attendant

At the party every child was given a passport with their name on it when they "checked in" with me and dropped their presents off at Baggage Check.

They then had the opportunity to do several activities. They could go dress up in a pilot hat/jacket/mirrored sunglasses/aviator scarf and get their passport picture taken at the Passport Picture Station....

OR They could go directly to the Paper Airplane Making Station with their "carry on parents" (up to 2 were allowed! lol), where there were plenty of paper, markers, stickers, ect and directions for them to make whatever kinds of airplanes their little hearts desired.

James was very proud of his!

When they were done making airplanes they could fly them around in the large center of the hangar or they could test their skills on the Landing Strip.

After the kids got tired of flying planes, we played several games.... Musical Clouds (just like musical chairs, except using cloud cutouts and the kids had to pretend to be airplanes and "fly" around... we played "Leaving on a Jet Plane" for the music of course!), Plane, Plane, Helicopter (Duck, duck, goose), and The Pilot Says. We were supposed to get a plane for all the kids to sit in/climb on, but that was cancelled at the last minute, so we got to play a few more games than planned, lol!

We then adjourned to the tables for refreshments. I decorated the main table with a black "runway" that had a toy hangar at one end and a flight tower at the other. Along the runway were several toy planes, 3 of which were used as weights for the balloon "clouds" over head. Plane cutouts hung from the clouds and with fishing line to look like they were flying.

Every child got an "in flight meal" and a juice box or water and of course... CAKE and individual cups of ice cream.

I think he liked his cake!!

There were snacks avaiable for the adults on the Cake table. The banner on that table was supposed to be in the air, supported by 5 clusters of balloon clouds, but I ran out of time and opted for using it on the table instead.

After Cake, presents and more playing, our guests stopped at Baggage Claim before departing.

A MILLION thanks to my BF Leah, my dearest Hubby and my ever-patient Mother-in-Law Cheryl, without whom this party would have crashed and burned at several junctions. And many thanks to everyone one who came! It was such a great time!!

Wow! I just found your airplane idea through your comment on Amy Atlas' blog. I am giving my son an airplane party in November and I LOVE your ideas. I think you did an amazing job. You are so creative and pulled things together so well. Did you make the cake? I'm wondering how you did that. What a wonderful party!